Has anyone actually witnessed cars being towed from a resort lot???

[Eander3]

Not looking for flames here, I am trying to convince a friend staying offsite NOT to use CR or Poly parking when going to MK. He is skeptical, and does not believe they will tow. I know all about the 3 hour pass, and have told him about it, and I have seen numerous warnings of cars being towed but have thus far found no one who has actually seen it done or had it done to them. I have relayed the same to him, but he still doesn't seem to believe me. So, can anyone please confirm for him/me that they have seen a vehicle towed from a resort lot?
Thanks.

 

[becky1960]

Over the years I have seen cars towed, but I don't know the reason, breakdown, illegally parked etc. This was Cr, WL. I do know that over the last few years they are checking more closely than before, there are more security, and armed police officers which you never seen before except PI since 9/11.

 

[Livi'sMom]

We didn't actually witness the towing... but we witnessed the temper tantrum of the couple that had their car towed from the Contemporary after the 3 hour pass expired on Labor Day weekend this past Sept. (They were making fools of themselves.) At one point the husband told the CM.... "this is Disney World, you don't tow cars!" "When you exceed your 3 hour pass by several hours, yes we do sir."

My husband and I were highly entertained and our daughter thought the man and his wife needed a nap.

 

[webray]

They are especially strict at the MK resorts, because like your friend..many people through the years have used the resort parking lots on their MK park days. It isn't worth it. CR has a person that patrols in a golf cart keeping up with the three hour parking passes, I would imagine Poly does also.

 

[bicker]

Sometimes, Disney's leniency causes some guests a lot of upset, so it is great to read that this policy, at least, is being actively enforced.

 

[DVC Sadie]

I don't know the reason why the cars were towed but when we stayed at the Poly on our New Years eve trip we saw 6 cars towed on different days. On our way back from the CR after having dinner there were 2 cars being towed. After all these years of going this is the first time my dh and I noticed so many cars being towed.

 

[DVC-Don]

A few years ago we saw several vehicles towed from the Contemporary one Saturday afternoon. We almost cheered from the balcony as it was a trial to park our rental and we were staying there.

 

[daisyduck123]

Some posters have mentioned about a "3 hour pass" when parking at a Magic Kingdom resort.

We have eaten at 1900 Park Fare & Chef Mickey's on many occasions & never once has a gate guard given us a pass. We always just get told to drive right on in.

 

[Brianne]

I think they're starting to crack down on everything. When we stayed at GF last year, we weren't given anything to put in our car to prove we were staying there. I spent most of the trip worried that our car was going to get towed! But when we stayed at WL a couple weeks ago, we were given a pass right at the resort gate.

I see a need to test the 3 hour restaurant parking now.

 

[momof2inPA]

How do they know at the Contemporary if you are there past three hours? They checked for our breakfast reservation, let us drive in, and we had the run of the parking lot. They didn't give us a tag for our mirror or anything. How could they tell us apart from people who had come for a later meal?

I've read on these boards that they are so strict about parking at that resort, but that didn't seem the case in late August, when we were there. Maybe it was just because the parks weren't crowded??

 

[rcraw45425]

During our November trip we saw cars towed from the CR. We were also given our first 3 hour parking permit for the Poly even though our resort parking permit was on the dash. Guess they really are cracking down. Glad to see it as a person that always drives down and sometimes has a real problem finding a parking space.

 

[MermaidsMom]

It could have something to do with how busy the parks and resorts are at the time as to whether they issue the pass or not, or they may mark your tires with chalk like they do on the streets to keep track of time parked. Glad to see enforcement! Nothing worse than paying a fortune to stay there and not finding a parking place!

 

[DVC-Don]

Any time we've been to the GF, PR or CR while not staying at them, the guard has asked our reason and then consulted a clip board with ADR's on them. Then the guard gives us a date & time stamped parking pass to put on the dash. Most of the time it has been a 3 hour pass, but a couple of times we've been issued a 2 hours pass. That must depend on the season.

 

[rascalmom]

We saw several cars being towed from the CR when we stayed in the South Garden Wing. DH asked & the cars without passes had been marked with chalk. We were loading our car to leave & we saw 3 cars towed & 3 more had been marked with red cards to be towed. One of those owners came out & ended up being a CR guest. He came back out with his parking tag & they removed the red card. Guess it was a good thing he was there!

 

[Twende]

Tell your friend to pay for the valet parking and then not worry about it.

 

[Karnak]

Last time I stayed at POFQ I was not given a card to place on my dashboard showing that I was a resort guest. I thought about it the next day, stoped at a registration desk, asked for something to keep from being towed, and they printed out a card on the spot, commenting that the cast member who checked us in should have given us one. I don't know if I really needed to put it in my car, but I did and felt better about parking there for the remainder of our stay.

I might add that I have never seen a car being towed at any resort we have stayed at. But that's no proof that they never tow cars away.

Enjoy.

___________________________________________

PEOPLE HAVE MORE FUN THAN ANYBODY
___________________________________________

1994 Sept. - Port Orleans - French Quarter
1996 Nov. - Disney Institute
1997 Nov. - Port Orleans - Riverside
1998 Dec. - Boardwalk
1999 Nov. - Port Orleans - French Quarter
2001 July - Contemporary
2002 May - Boardwalk
2002 Dec. - Polynesian (concierge)
2003 May - Animal Kingdom
2004 June - Port Orleans - French Quarter
2005 April - Port Orleans - French Quarter
2005 Dec. - Port Orleans - French Quarter
2006 March - Port Orleans - French Quarter (upcoming)
2006 Dec. - Resort undecided (planning stage)

 

[Tiffany]

Some posters have mentioned about a "3 hour pass" when parking at a Magic Kingdom resort.

We have eaten at 1900 Park Fare & Chef Mickey's on many occasions & never once has a gate guard given us a pass. We always just get told to drive right on in.

Hi,

It looks like you have normally visited during the off season. The 3hr rule tends to be more strictly enforced during the busier times of the year.

 

[Sammie]

Yes and an interesting story to go with it. As we were pulling up to the Guard Shack at the Contemporary we saw a tow truck leaving with a car and I remarked it would be a bummer to have a car that would not start while on vacation.

The guard said, "Yes it would, but not as bad as having it towed for overstaying your visitor's pass" and then he grinned and said, "Now why are here today?"

I have also seen them towed at the Polynesian, too.

 

[Sammie]

Tell your friend to pay for the valet parking and then not worry about it.

According to a friend of mine that works for Disney, they time valet now also for guests not staying at that resort. Tyler aka ChipNDale Express stated the same thing.

 

[Tiffany]

According to a friend of mine that works for Disney, they time valet now also for guests not staying at that resort. Tyler aka ChipNDale Express stated the same thing.

I would have to say that they cannot time a valet guest as you are paying $7 to valet for the day and they are suppose to give you a color coded tag so that you could go and valet at another Disney resort on that same day and not have to pay anothe $7. We valet often while at WDW and it has always been the price, right now $7, for the day.